‘It’s ok Mam, I’ve got this’

Six-year-old Zach Brunton from Oldcastle has been through more in his short life than most people face in a lifetime; multiple open-heart surgeries, a stroke that left him temporarily paralysed, and months in hospital. But with his trademark motto, “It’s ok Mam, I’ve got this”, Zach has shown extraordinary resilience and has been recognised at the Brave Heart Awards Lunch in Dublin.

The event, organised by Heart Children, took place at the Conrad Hotel on Saturday, 13th September. It celebrated infants, children and adults living with congenital heart disease (CHD), highlighting their bravery and determination against the odds.

Zach’s story began with a perfectly normal pregnancy. “Nothing alarming ever came up on the scans,” recalls his mum, Laura. But within 24 hours of his birth at the regional hospital, Zach began to struggle.

“His breathing just became more difficult, he stopped feeding, and was just sleeping a lot,” said Laura. “A doctor noticed the signs, ran an ECG, and realised the problem was his heart. He was going into cardiac failure," she added.

Zach was urgently transferred to Crumlin Children’s Hospital. What followed was a rollercoaster that would test the Brunton family to the limit.

He was just two weeks old when the full extent of his condition came to light. A traumatic brain injury, caused by a lack of oxygen in the early hours of his illness, left him paralysed on his left side.

“We were told that because of the severity of the brain injury there might be no point in doing surgery,” Laura said.

“At one stage, doctors even asked if it was worth putting him through more operations, because they weren’t sure he would ever have any quality of life.”

But Zach refused to give up. Despite being intubated for 87 days during his first hospital stay of 114 nights, he battled through.

“He was smiling, engaging, and showing he was there with us,” said Laura.

“Even the ICU nurses fought for him. From the very start he fought his way and said, ‘I’m here, and I’m here to stay.’”

Physiotherapy gradually helped him regain the use of his left side. “To look at him today you’d never think he once couldn’t move that side of his body,” Laura added.

Doctors soon discovered Zach’s heart was far more complex than initially thought.

His tiny body endured surgery after surgery. At just a few weeks old, he underwent a balloon dilation to widen his narrowed aortic valve.

When that wasn’t enough, further interventions followed.

The most dramatic came when Zach became the first baby in the world to have three valves replaced at once, a pioneering operation that saw doctors in Dublin consult with international experts in Boston and Milan.

“They called it the Ross procedure along with mitral valve replacement, and it was absolutely huge,” said Laura. “Nobody expected him to come through it like he did but he sailed it.”

Since then, Zach has had further operations, including being the first child in Ireland to undergo a rare “melody-in-melody” valve replacement.

His case has attracted attention from specialists across Europe.

For Laura and her husband Nicky, who also have daughters, Ellie (11) and Pippa (4), the early journey was relentless whilst also trying to maintain normality for Ellie at the time. “You’re trying to be two very different parents at the same time,” Laura explained.

“One part of you has to focus on the medical news, surgeries and emergencies, while the other part is trying to be there for a little girl who don’t understand why her parents are gone so much.”

Support from family and friends was crucial, as were the services of Ronald McDonald House near Crumlin, which provided somewhere to stay close to Zach.

Now, at six years old, Zach is thriving. He is back at school in a small, supportive class, full of fun and energy. “He just loves life, he loves people, and he’s always smiling,” said Laura.

For his family, the Brave Heart Award is a moment to pause and reflect. “We tell him all the time he’s brave, but for him to be recognised like this means so much,” Laura said.

She added: “He even has his own little motto. Whenever things get tough he says, ‘It’s ok Mam, I’ve got this.’ That’s just Zach, he takes it all in his stride.”

Zach’s story is one of survival against the odds and a testament to the skill of Ireland’s paediatric cardiology teams. But above all, it is the story of a little boy with a giant spirit.

“He shows us what proper strength is and how life is meant to be lived,” said Laura. “You don’t realise how precious it all is until something like this happens. He’s our hero.”